Help needed with UPS

Taz said:
Ugh, it sucks getting in touch with customer service people these days! Everything is automated menu's and AI stuff and they can't answer a simple question.
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So much this...

I had fedex not deliver chemo meds because the driver (Lakrisha) said she couldn't find the street (yes, the street) Meanwhile, every Rufus Tufus from walmart delivery can find my house without issue.

I had to call fedex and battle their AI/automated intro for 20min in order to finally connect with a human... who turned out to be an Indian I could barely comprehend.. who then referred me to their Indian manager Raj, who finally connected me to the local fedex manager (Yolanda).. who then asked me if I could meet Lakrisha on her route because she was already delivering other packages.

Competancy crisis a brewing mate, behold ye mighty and despair.
 
Kevin Wilkins said:
UPS in the USA is a giant disaster right now! Do NOT use UPS for shipments from outside the USA until they they get their sh*t together. This whole tariff thing has been a disaster of bad planning and even worse implementation on the US side. Nobody knows what the tariff should be, could be outta be , etc.

I have a customer in the USA - the only customer I've sent a package to since the tariff monster show and I warned him beforehand - who ended up with UPS charging him 3 times for the one product, using 3 different customs product code numbers, all of them wrong. One was for products made of aluminium coming from Russia!! This even though the order included a proper invoice with country of origin (Germany) and the correct customs product code number for the merchandise. UPS just ignored all that. It took the customers weeks to even get any paperwork or a receipt from UPS and now he's getting nowhere getting it corrected and a refund for what he overpaid. The guy was charged over $500 duty alone on merchandise worth €230 (including €30 shipping). He should have paid 15% + a UPS fee for processing, maybe $60 tops.

My freight brokers tell me they have nothing but problems and complaints regarding UPS in the USA.

I hear DHL Express is okay; FedEx is hit or miss, but the problem is trying to determine exactly what the buyer will have to pay for US customs duty on any given shipment. Keep in mind that the shipping company - whether UPS, FedEx or DHL Express - handle the customs paperwork for the shipment, NOT US Customs. US Customs only see the shipment if they flag it for inspection or if some dope sniffing dog barks at it.

The situation is so bad it is endangering the entire future of my business. Without access to the US market I will have to close the workshop.
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I'm in the same boat dear brother and so are thousands of small business that are together with us on the brink of closing :(
I started to believe this is purposely done to close this small business sector to gain more slaves for the huge sharks...sad, very sad.

All the best, God bless,
Bogdan
 
I hear you Bogdan, it's like most of the world political leaders - particularly in the EU - have gone insane. German industry is being destroyed. I could say more but I don't want to derail this thread.
 
Kevin Wilkins said:
I hear you Bogdan, it's like most of the world political leaders - particularly in the EU - have gone insane. German industry is being destroyed. I could say more but I don't want to derail this thread.
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I'm with you brother and so sorry to see the huge issues DE is facing due to immigration. You people in there are great guys and you have great beer too :D

All the best, God bless,
Bogdan
 
For those with a similar problem, I found out the UPS number for international shipments is, 800-782-7892
I have been put on hold for almost two hours so if you call this number be prepared to wait.
 
After being on hold for close to two hours a live person answered. He was obviously from India and spoke very poor English. He had no authority, all he could do is read off a list he had. He was no help. He kept saying it was not my fault, but at the same time the package would be destroyed. He kept saying he was very sorry.
 
Tom Lewis said:
After being on hold for close to two hours a live person answered. He was obviously from India and spoke very poor English. He had no authority, all he could do is read off a list he had. He was no help. He kept saying it was not my fault, but at the same time the package would be destroyed. He kept saying he was very sorry.
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Where is the seller? They should be the ones contacting the UPS.
 
The seller is in the Netherlands. So far he has been very good to answer my e-mails. He very quickly shipped the package but then once it got to UPS in Louisville KY, the hold up began, and now UPS won't deliver it.
 
How do they say a piece of tungsten carbide needs to be destroyed??? Why do they get to make that judgement? It's not illegal or contraband or anything, it's a chunk of metal!
 
The seller needs to start a trace on the package from their end immediately! Answering your emails isn't enough. If there is no attempt to deliver the package and you never receive it, the seller will have to refund your money and eat the loss. If you used PayPal, file a claim. If the buyer REFUSES the shipment and it ends up seized or gone, PayPal will not refund the buyer but if the shipment never gets to your door, the seller is on the hook. If the contents are determined to be contraband / illegal, then the situation is different.
 
Kevin Wilkins, thanks for the information. The seller has been very good to answer my e-mails he has started a trace, and I feel he will treat me fairly.
I feel very sorry for anyone who has problems with UPS. Their "Virtual assistant" doesn't work anymore. They used to have a "Chat" option, but no more. To speak with a real person, you wait maybe almost two hours and when you do get a live person they can't speak good English and don't know anything except to say that they are sorry.
Using UPS is now my very last option.
 
I've been saying for a couple of years now that the US has lost another lead, this time in logistics. UPS, USPS, FedEX are are having issues and no one seems willing to fix them. Adding the new tariffs on top is making bad go to worse.
 
Unfortunately I cannot offer anything to help with UPS.

However, I've been dealing a lot the past weeks with the post offices etc, ever since the tariffs came along and the de minimis exemption removed, it's been hell.
Greece, along with many other European countries have suspended their postal services to the US until they get clear instructions regarding the needed paperwork. I'm not sure how private companies do it but if I were asked, I'd advise waiting until things are more clear.
 
Fingers crossed, I just sent my first post-tariff-monstershow package to the USA using DHL Express. Cost was €56. We'll see what the buyer has to pay, he's aware of the situation and wanted to give it a go.

A few fun facts on international shipping to the USA:
Now all commercial shipments of goods into the USA are subject to duty, fees and taxes. There is no minimum under which things are free.
The value used for calculating the duty is the price of the goods PLUS the shipping. Not just the price of the goods. So if the goods cost $100+$50 shipping the duty will be calculated based on $150.
It is very important that both country of origin and the correct Customs product number are on the invoice accompanying the shipment. One copy of the invoice should be inside the box and 3 copies in a see through envelope on the outside of the package. Some shippers require a digital version of the invoice to be submitted when buying the shipping label, so make sure your invoice software can out put a PDF.
 
I'll post an update once the package I sent to the USA via DHL Express actually arrives. I'm no longer using UPS or regular DHL for USA shipments. This is a nightmare situation.
 
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